Chennai: The State government will soon establish memorials for eminent leaders, freedom fighters besides Tamil poet Kavimani Desiga Vinayagam Pillai at various places in the State, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has announced.
Making a statement under rule 110 in the Assembly on Thursday, the Chief Minister said the memorial for Kavimani Desiga Vinayagam would be constructed at a cost of Rs 1 crore at his birth place – Theroor in southern Kanyakumari district. Also, the government would set up a library in his memorial.
Similarly, memorials would be established for Rettamalai Srinivasan, the Dalit icon, near Maduranthakam, former MLA V.K. Palaniswami Gounder in Coimbatore, former Minister Sir A.T. Panneerselvam in Tiruchy, for '1 crore each. Namakkal Allala Naicker will be honoured with a memorial in Jadarpalayam at a cost of '30 lakh. Palaniswami also announced a memorial and a library for Ondiveeran Pagadai who fought against the British, at a cost of '75 lakhs. The government would renovate the memorial of freedom fighter Veeran Sundaralingam and set up a library for '75 lakhs.
The birthday of John Pennycuick who constructed the Periyar dam would be celebrated as government function as a tribute to this British army engineer, on January 15 every year, the Chief Minister said. Further, the birthdays of Kalingarayan, Azhagu Muthu Kone and Daily Thanthi founder S.P. Adithanar, would be celebrated as government functions.
